甲骨卜辭所見之商代‘五方’觀念芻議

Abstract

The main thesis of this paper is to use the records of Shang Dynasty oracle bones inscriptions, and to confirm each other with the records of traditional documents and other unearthed documents to discuss the main content and characteristics of the ‘Five Directions’ records of Shang Dynasty. ‘Five Directions’ is the collective name of the five directions of east, south, west, north and middle, and is an important part of the theory of the Five Elements. ‘Five Directions’ was a division of space and orientation in ancient China, and it was also an important part of the theory of the Five Elements. The establishment of the ‘Five Directions’ made the theory of the Five Elements had a corresponding relationship with space. According to the combined investigation of the records of traditional documents and other unearthed documents, as the current concept of Five Elements in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty has been basically finalized, the concept of ‘Five Directions’ with the attributes of the Five Elements has also been basically formed, and specific regional divisions have gradually appeared in the center and the surrounding areas. The current research results believe that the concept of ‘Five Elements’ and ‘Five Directions’ in the Shang Dynasty has not yet been formed, that is, it is in a budding state. Even so, the concept of ‘Five Directions’ in the Shang Dynasty can be seen the clue from the spatial regions of ‘east, west, south, north, and middle’, the four directions of wind and spatial structure, and the god's five ministers. This paper uses the oracle bones inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty to verify each other with various traditional documents and other unearthed documents, and discusses the budding situation and main characteristics of the concept of ‘Five Directions’ in the Shang Dynasty.